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Our Catltolic Heritage in T e:xas
At such times, the trunks of trees were generally laid across its banks to permit the families of the soldiers to walk over, but this was a tem- porary makeshift. In view of these facts, it would be inadvisable to per- mit the Canary Islanders to establish a town across the river from the presidio, where they would be cut off from the garrison in times of floods and too far removed to be given adequate protection by the soldiers of the presidio.n Having shown how inaccurate the map was, and consequently how unreliable the information on which Aguayo based his judgment in rec- ommending that the settlement be established on what was in reality the east side of the San Antonio River, the Brigadier proceeded to make his own recommendations as to the best site for the proposed town. To the west, about a musket shot from the presidio, was a low, flat hill which formed a plateau upon which the town could be located. He had personally explored the land at the time of his visit and had remarked in his report how appropriate it was for a settlement of twenty-five families. The lands to the north and south of the presidio were ample for the farms which should be granted to the settlers for cultivation. They would have, furthermore, the presidia} chapel within easy distance to comply with their Christian duties until a church was built for them.:i Pro-posed distribution of settlers among missions. But while plans for the actual settlement of the newly-arrived Canary Islanders were being seriously discussed by the viceroy with his advisers, Father Sevil- lano, of the College of Queretaro, presented a plan of his own for the disposition of the settlers. He proposed to the viceroy that the ten fami- lies should be distributed among the three missions which were now being removed from East Texas to the San Antonio River. He argued that they would serve as a nucleus for the refounded missions and would be of great help in instructing the Indians in the various duties of mis- sion life. This proposal was referred to Rivera, as usual. In reply he declared that it would be very unwise to permit the settlers to establish themselves in the missions as suggested by Father Sevillano, because, as the number of neophytes grew, innumerable difficulties would arise from the intimate relations of the Canary Islanders and the natives. It %!Rivera to the Viceroy, September 30, 1730. A. G. N., Provincias /11ternas, Vol. 236, Pt. x. 22/bid.
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